Can the Premier advise how the Regular Members will be involved in this and when an action plan could be expected?
As stated in my opening statement, we are committed to working more closely with the Regular Members, so we will actually, as we develop this work, we will be consulting and working closely with the appropriate standing committee to define the actions as we move forward. This will not be done in isolation. It will be done together.
Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question was: when can we expect this plan? If it's the Standing Committee on Social Development, when can we expect something of this nature? Thank you.
I am sorry that I didn't address that part of the question, but it gives you this supplementary question. I would love to be able to give a timeline, but I feel that would be disrespectful of the process, because we are also engaging with the national action plan as well. I think that, in all honesty, they kind of have to go hand-in-hand to make this comprehensive.
My statement stands as it is, though. We will begin this process early in the new year. I will allow my departments to take a Christmas holiday. As soon as that's done, we are reinstating the work, and we will engage with standing committee at the appropriate times. As soon as we hear from the national action plan, we will book our first meeting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, honourable Premier. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In October, when we did a roundtable in this House, I mentioned briefly about how a lot of our people in the North face obstacles and barriers when it comes to accessing government programs, specifically housing programs. I firmly believe there are too many barriers for our vulnerable populations, our elders, low-income, disabled, and what I have been noticing during my campaign and even during the last few weeks is that a lot of language that is used is "too complicated" and that it needs to be simpler.
I have heard countless accounts of denied program applications for housing. Before I ask this question, I have a couple of elders in mind in my hometown in Deninu Kue. They didn't make a big ask. They didn't ask for a large mansion or a large home. They asked for some simple renovations to some doors and windows that would help them save some heating costs. It costs a lot to live in the North, and they're not asking for a lot. I felt it was so undignified, the way they were treated, and I want to speak to that.
I'll ask my question to the Minister. My question to the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation is: when is the last time the NWT Housing Corporation conducted an audit of the policies, and how often do they occur? Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to my colleague for asking the question in regard to the programs and services that we offer at our smaller communities on a local level. I do understand that there has been a challenge to program delivery at the community level. Looking at what we have done in the time being to fix that, in 2017, there was a survey that was conducted. That was conducted at a local level. We also had a summit that was held in Inuvik, as well.
With all of that information, it collaborated into changes within our policies, as well, too. We did make changes to work with our elders in the smaller communities, to enhance our programs and services that we are able to offer. Going forward, I look forward to working and reviewing this document and using it within the next four years. I also reflect on the past government. They had the initiative, and they went to all 32 communities in the Northwest Territories to collaborate that information, to work with those programs and services to develop a new strategy for the next government.
Again, just to follow up with that, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. What concrete changes within the NWT Housing Corporation have occurred since the last audit? Mahsi cho.
Since the survey has been conducted, we did make changes to the Community Housing Initiative Program, the seniors aging-in-place repairs, fuel tank replacements, changes to the students in public housing policies, transfers of emergency overnight shelters from ECE, community housing plans, community stability working pilot project, senior planning studies, family home transfer programs, new home programs, customer service, and training.
Going forward, I would just like to really speak about the survey that was completed. The survey came from the people at the local community level, and working with that document will significantly have changes in the future to our programs. Thank you.
One last question, and I don't expect a response right away on this, but, just from what you're telling me, it would be nice to know what some other key indicators would be. My last question is: I would like to ask for some stats on the number of applications and the number of denials in terms of program requests, housing program requests, by community. Mahsi cho.
I don't have that information right now, but I will collaborate that information, get it together, and I will get back to you. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to make my first questions today to the Minister of Health and Social Services on child and family services. What has happened in the past is we have had a number of audits from the Auditor General which were scathing of the treatment of children in care. There is no issue that requires greater oversight and accountability than when the state takes a person's child.
My concern is that what happens in this Assembly is at times we get the reports and a lot of noise is made, and then there is some media, and then it falls off, often between audits or between election cycles. My first question to the Minister is: can you provide an update on where we are in responding to the last report on the Auditor General in regards to child and family services? Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was just advised by my Premier that the Cabinet committee for the Premier will come up with a Cabinet committee for child and families right after the Christmas break.
The Department of Health and Social Services presently has a quality improvement progress tracker that allows you to see a number of the tasks and responses to the audit. I commend the department for creating this tracker. It really should be how all of our actions are measured and available to the public.
However, I think there is a larger question. The audit is largely of whether we are complying with our own policies, which is step one. It is not always whether those are the right policies. My question to the Minister though is: does the Minister know if the work for a third audit has begun?
The Auditor General of Canada is not currently conducting a third audit of the child and family services system. If the Auditor General called for another review of the child and family services system, the Department would fully engage and integrate the findings as part of our continuous improvement framework.
I want to assure the Member that we take the review of quality seriously. That is why we have our own separate quality review and internal audit process. This quality review process is ongoing, and we have started our internal audits. We anticipate that the internal audits will be done by the spring of 2020.
I believe that it is important that we are doing our own internal audits as well as a much longer discussion which I hope is brought to Committee, of whether not only are we complying with our own policies but whether they are the correct policies that ultimately will lower the number of children in care.
My question to the Minister is whether those internal audits will be shared with Members and brought to Committee.
Just in reference back to the actual Auditor General's report, the Department has accepted the recommendations. The plan was publicized and released in August of 2019. To date, approximately 33 percent of the action plan, action items in the quality improvement plan, have been completed.
The time for oral questions has expired, but I will allow the Member to ask his remaining supplemental question. The Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure that I got a reply there on whether the internal audits would be shared with Committee. My question to the Minister is: can you provide a timeline on when those internal audits will be done, and what is the process in responding to our own internal audits that is planned?
I will work with the Member to ensure I get him the dates and the release of the information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The time has expired for oral questions. With the number of questions we have had, good discussion. We will take a short recess. Thank you.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the Draft Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, dated December 2019. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Tabling of documents.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Cabinet's Guiding Principles – 19th Legislative Assembly." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the following five documents pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Financial Administration Act. I will be tabling the document entitled "Public Accounts 2018-2019," second, "Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2019-2020," "Northwest Territories Coroner Service 2018 Annual Report," pursuant to Section 72.2(2) of the Residential Tenancies Act, a document entitled the "Annual Report on the Activities of the Rental Officer – April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019," and finally, pursuant to Section 9(2) of the Legal Services Act, a document entitled "Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories Annual Report 2018-2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following three documents, pursuant to Section 57(1) of the Water Act, a document entitled "Inuvialuit Water Board 2018-2019 Annual Report," "Inuvialuit Water Board Financial Statements, March 31, 2019," and pursuant to Section 28 of the Service Rights Board Act, a document entitled "Northwest Territories Surface Rights Board 2018-2019 Annual Report." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Lands. Tabling of documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document pursuant to Section 21 of the Financial Administration Act entitled " Annual Reports for Northwest Territories Education Bodies for the 2018-2019 School Year Ending June 30, 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Tabling of documents. Minister of Health and Social Services.
